United States AttorneySouthern District of Texas

Guilty Verdict in Corpus Christi Convicted Felon Case

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Richard Angel Gonzales, 39, of Corpus Christi, Texas, has been convicted on all three federal charges against him, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today.

Following one and a half days of trial testimony and approximately two hours of deliberation, a federal jury has returned its verdicts finding Gonzales guilty of one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and two counts of being a felon in possession of ammunition. The verdict was accepted this morning by presiding Senior U.S. District Judge Hayden Head.

Gonzales was indicted in August 2011. During trial, the United States presented testimony through which the jury learned that on Nov. 1, 2010, Corpus Christi police officers were called out to the Paradise Bay Apartments in Corpus Christi in reference to a domestic disturbance involving a firearm. When officers arrived they spoke with a woman who was still crying. The woman told police that Gonzales was staying with her at her apartment and that he had physically assaulted her, thus breaking her glasses. Gonzales had also pointed a loaded .45 caliber pistol and threatened to shoot her. Police located a loaded .45 caliber pistol and Gonzales was arrested and taken to the Nueces County Detention Center where he was interviewed by agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Gonzales denied assaulting the woman and claimed he was only in possession of the firearm because he took it away from her because she was trying to shoot him. According to testimony, Gonzales admitted that the woman had previously purchased a firearm off the streets which he had already sold and that the ammunition to that firearm was located in the closet at the woman’s apartment. ATF agents obtained consent to search the apartment and located a box of .380 ammunition. At trial, Gonzales took the stand in his own defense, at which time the jury learned that Gonzales had two convictions for attempted murder, two convictions for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, one conviction for aggravated assault on a public servant and one conviction for deadly conduct.

Gonzales was remanded to custody following the return of the verdicts where he will remain pending his sentencing hearing set for March 15, 2012, at which time he faces a minimum of 15 years and up to life in federal prison in addition to a $250,000 fine.

The case was investigated by Corpus Christi Police and ATF. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hugo R. Martinez.

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Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives United States Department of Justice